Rotary atomizer



Oct. 7, 1941.? H. GOODMAN arm.

'RO'IARY ATOMIZER Filed May 6, 1940 INVENTORS ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 7, 1941 ROTARY ATOMIZER Harry Goodman and Vachel S. Dillingham, Oklahoma City, Okla.

Application May 6, 1940, Serial No. 333,632

8 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved water atomizing unit for use in humidifiers, evaporative air conditioning machines, etc., as well as to an improved water wheel for use in connection therewith.

The chief object of the invention is to produce a compact atomizing unit which can be installed quickly and easily in almost any of the numerous types of humidifiers and evaporative air conditioners now on the market.

A further object of the invention is to provide an atomizing unit which is far superior in efliciently atomizing water than other apparatus now available for the purpose.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a centrifugal type atomizing unit which not only breaks up the water into extremely minute particles, but which is so constructed that in continuously discharging these particles into the air, it concentrates them into a comparatively thin sheet or blanket of extremely fine mist or fog, the fine particles of which are relatively close together and substantially evenly spaced apart, so that the relative humidity of air traveling through that blanket at a given speed is raised to a much higher point than when it passes through other presently available humidifiers at the same speed, and conversely so that the relative humidity of a much greater quantity of air may be raised to a given "point in a given length of time because of the greater velocity at which it may be passed through that blanket.

The details in the construction of a preferred form of my invention, together with other objects attending its production, will be better understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, which is chosen for illustrative purposes only, and in which Fig. 1 is'a side sectional view of the unit installed on a water tank, the view being taken along the broken line of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line of 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the two parts which make up the water wheel trough;

Fig. 4 is an inside view of the removable water wheel trough side plate shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a substantially vertical sectional view of the water wheel proper, and is taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 6 is a side view of the water wheel, showing one preferred arrangement of baffles between the wheel vanes; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a plate which is a part of the unit.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in all the figures.

In general the invention consists of a narrow water wheel trough adapted to be mounted inside a water tank adjacent one of its upright walls; a gasket; an exterior plate for clamping the water tank wall tightly between one side of the trough and the plate; a water wheel in the trough mounted on a shaft which is driven from the exterior of the water tank and which passes through the plate, the gasket, the water tank wall, and through one side wall of the trough; a water passage foradmitting water from the tank into the trough; and a shaft seal for preventing water from leaking from the tank or from the trough.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral l0 designates a watertank of any size or shape. The water wheel trough is designated as a whole by the numeral I I and consists of two main partsa shell l2, and a plate 13. The shell l2 preferably carries an integral arcuate bottom M, and integral opposite upwardly diverging end walls I5 and I6. A plurality of screws I I pass thru perforated lugs l8 and into threaded lugs I!) to hold the two main parts of the trough together. From Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 it will be noted that correspondingly positioned circular portions 21) and 2! of the adjacent surfaces of the shell l2 and plate l3 respectively are regularly concave to a degree corresponding to thedegree of taper of the opposite sides of a water wheel 22. The concave surfaces of the circular portions 20 and 2| are adapted to serve as deflectors or guides for concentrating the discharge of fine water particles from the trough into a comparatively thin blanket of mist above and to the sides of the unit. The trough I I is provided with a suitably located water passage or conduit 23 which affords limited communication between the interior of the trough and the interior of the tank It) only. In addition an air conduit 24 is provided for feeding air axially to the water wheel 22. In this connection it will be noted that the maximum intended water level in the tank [0 is designated by the numeral 25, and that the open upper end of the air conduit 24 must terminate at a point above this level.

The invention is installed in a water tank as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. The exterior side surface of the shell 12 is complementally shaped to fit the interior surface of the particular wall of the tank on which the unit is to be installed.

'driven by any suitable means. illustrated the shaft asbeing journaled in a mo- A gasket 26, preferable of rubber or other impervious material is placed between the shell l2 and the tank wall. The shell I2 is provided with a shaft seal housing 21, which housingprojects through the gasket 26, through the tank wall, and into a perforation 28 in an exterior plate 29. This plate 29 is preferably provided with L-shaped lugs 30 and 3| to facilitate the exterior mounting of a suitable means for journaling a shaft 32, which projects through a suitable shaft seal 33, and into the interior of the trough II.

As will be seen in Fig. 3, the shell H may be provided with countersunk screw holes .3 3 toaccommodate bolts or screws 35. which pass through the shell, the gasket 26, the tank wall, and either into threaded perforations 36 in the lugs 3i! and 3|, or on into threaded perforations in a motor housing 31 as shown in either case the bolts or screws serve to tightly clamp the gasketand shell l2 against the tank wall, thus preventing leakage of water either from the tank 10101 from the water wheel trough H,

The water wheel 22 is mounted to rotate with the shaft 32 and within the trough H, the mounting being accomplished in suitable manner, as by a set screw 38. As previously stated the shaft .32 may be both journalled and While we have tor housing 31, with the shaft itself carrying the motor armature and adapted to be driven there- ;byyit will be understood that departures from this particular journaiing anddriying means fall within the spirit of our invention.

Referring to and 6, we call attention to the fact that the particular construction of the water wheel 22 is an important feature of this invention, especially in connection with the somewhat complex-mentally shaped parts of the trough H. We refer particularly to the concave circular portions 24] and 21, which are of substantially the same diameter as the diameter of the water wheel 22, and to the arcuate trough bottom 14, the radius of which is only very slightly greater than the radius of the wheel. The wheel is mounted concentric to these circular portions 20 and 2| and to the arcuate bottom i4 so that there is very little clearance between the opposite sides of the wheel and the respective adjacent concave portions 20 .and M, and also very little clearance between the periphery of the wheel and the arcuate bottom 44-; The close confining of the water particles in the path of rotation of the wheel makes for high efficiency both in finely atomizi'ng and in discharging those particles. The complementa-l taper of thewheel sides and of the concave portions 20 and .2! serves to guide and concentrate into acorn-paratively thin blanket, the discharge of fine water particles from the wheel.

There are other advantages in the wheel construction alone. The wheel is made up of a hub 36, a disc 39 which'i-s preferably concave, as

shown, but the exterior surface of whichmay be 1 planar if preferred, a plurality of radially spaced and disposed vanes 40,, each having one side edge rigidly connected to'the concave surf-aceof the disc, and baffles M located between the vanes 40, and mounted in .a similar manner, with their side edges attached to the disc. The outer tips =42 of the vanes are preferably bent forward in the direction of rotation of the wheel, as shown by the .arrow in Fig. 6, and terminate at a point substantially even with the periphery of the disc 39. The inner ends of the vanes 43 terminate at a point short of the surface of the hub 38, and define an annular open space about the hub. Also these vanes are wider at their inner ends than at their outer ends, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. This feature causes them to draw in a greater amount of air axially, with a consequent greater discharge of air radially from their tips.

The bafiles tl are shorter than the vanes, and their outer ends terminate just short of the periphery of the disc 39. It will be noted that the driving faces of the baffles do not lie in radial planes, but are also tilted forward at a slight fine water particles per unit of measure is sub- .stantially the same throughout the fan shaped blanket of mist formed by the wheels discharge.

While we have disclosed and illustrated a specific embodiment of the invention, wear-e aware that numerous changes and alterations may be made therein and we do not wish to be limited except by the prior art and by the appended claims. a

We call attention to the fact that while our Patent No. 2,215,753 discloses a somewhat similar atomizer, there is a clear line .of distinction between the two inventions. The patent just identified discloses an atomizer made in the form of a complete unit, adapted to be placed in a pan .or other water container, the motor or driving means being included as a part of the unit, and protected by the unit housing vagainst harm from the water in which the unit is placed On the other hand the present invention discloses an atomizer which includes a water trough and wheel adapted to be placed inside a pan or other water container, with the motor outside the pan, and not subject to injury from water in the container. In addition the present invention in? cludes .a different type .of trough and a different type .of water wheel, which are hereinafter speciflcally claimed.

We claim: I

1; In a humidifier, the combination with a pan or tank for holding liquid, of an (apparatus for atomizing liquid from the tank and distributing the fine particles into the air comprising: A comparatively narrow substantially U-shaped water wheel trough'the-ends of which diverge upwardly and the sides of which are substantially parallel, the exterior surface of one of said sides being adapted to fit fiat against a portion of the interior wall surface of said tank; a gasket for sealing the space between the two last mentioned surfaces; a plate for fitting fiat against a substantially corresponding portion of the exterior wall surface of said tank; screws passing through a side wall of the trough, through the gasket, the tank wall, and the plate for tightly clamping the tank wall and gasket between the trough and plate; a rotatable shaft extending from the exterior of said plate into the interior of said trough; means affording a liquid tight seal-between the surface of said shaft and the adjacent surface of the perforations through which it passes into said trough; a radial-vane type Water wheel mounted to rotate with said shaft ine side said trough; power means exterior to said tank for rotating said shaft and water wheel;

and a water passage through a wall of said trough affording limited communication between the interior of said trough and a low point in said tank.

2. In a humidifier, the combination with a pan 'ortank for holding liquid, of an apparatus for atomizing liquid from the tank and distributing the fine particles into the air comprising: A comparatively narrow substantially U-shaped water Wheel trough the ends of which diverge upwardly and the sides of which are substantially parallel, the exterior surface of one of said sides being adapted to fit flat against a portion of the interior wall surface of said tank; a gasket for sealing the space between the two last mentioned surfaces: a plate for fitting flat against a substantially corresponding portion of the exterior wall surface of said tank; screws passing through a side wall of the trough, through the gasket, the tank wall, and the plate for tightly clamping the tank wall and gasket between the trough and plate; a rotatable shaft extending from the exterior of said plate into the interior of said trough; means affording a liquid tight seal between the surface of said shaft and the adjacent surface of the perforations through which it passes into said trough; a radial-vane type water wheel mounted to rotate with said shaft inside said trough; power means exterior to said tank for rotating said shaft and water wheel; and an air conduit affording communication between the atmosphere and the interior of said trough for feeding air to said water Wheel in an axial direction as said wheel rotates.

3. In a humidifier, the combination with a pan i i or tank for holding liquid, of an apparatus for atomizing liquid from the tank and distributing the fine particles into the air comprising: a com paratively narrow substantially U-shaped water wheel trough the ends of which diverge upwardly and the sides of which are substantially parallel, the exterior surface of one of said sides being adapted to fit flat against a portion of the interior wall surface of said tank; a gasket for sealing the space between the two last mentioned surfaces: a plate for fitting flat against a substantially corresponding portion of the exterior wall surface of said tank; screws passing through a side wall of the trough, through the gasket,

the tank wall, and the plate for tightly clamping the tank wall and gasket between the trough and plate; a rotatable shaft extending from the exterior of said plate into the interior of said trough; means affording a liquid tight seal between the surface of said shaft and the adjacent surface of the perforations through which it passes into said trough; a radial-vane type water wheel mounted to rotate with said shaft inside said trough; power means exterior to said tank for rotating said shaft and water wheel; a water passage through a wall of said trough affording limited communication between the interior of said trough and a low point in said tank; and an air conduit affording communication between the atmosphere and the interior of said trough for feeding air to said water wheel in an axial direction as said wheel rotates.

4. In a humidifier, a water distributing wheel comprising: a hub; a plurality of radially spaced and disposed axially planar vanes mounted to rotate with said hub, their radially disposed inner ends terminating short of the surface of said hub and defining an open space therearound, the inner ends of said vanes being wider axially than their outer ends; and a plurality of shorter '3 radially disposed axially planar bafiles mounted in a similar manner about said hub, one between each adjacent pair of said vanes, and adapted to deflect and aid in breaking up or atomizing liquid fed to said wheel during its rotation.

5. In a humidifier, a water distributing wheel comprising: a hub a disc concentrically mounted on said hub; a plurality of radially spaced and disposed axially planar vanes each having one side edge rigidly secured to one surface of said disc, their radially spaced inner ends terminating short of the surface of said hub and defining an open space therearound, the inner ends of said vanes being wider axially than their outer ends; and a plurality of radially disposed axially planar baffles mounted in a similar manner about said hub, one between each adjacent pair of vanes, and adapted to deflect and aid in breaking up or atomizing liquid fed to said wheel during its rotation.

6. In a humidifier, a water distributing wheel comprising: a hub; a disc concentrically secured to one end of the hub; a plurality of radially spaced and disposed axially planar vanes each having one side edge rigidly secured to said disc,

their radially spaced inner ends terminating short of the surface of said hub and defining an open space therearound, their extreme outer ends only being tilted slightly forward in the normal direction of rotation of the wheel; and a plurality of shorter radially disposed axially planar baffles similarly mounted on said disc, one between each adjacent pair of the said vanes, the inner ends of said baflies terminating considerably short of the perimeter of the open space formed by the inner ends of said vanes, the outer ends of said baflles terminating short of the periphery of said disc, said bafiles adapted to deflect and aid in breaking up or atomizing liquid picked up by the wheel during its rotation.

7. A humidifier unit including: a rotatably mounted wheel comprising a hub, and a plurality of radially spaced and disposed axially extending vanes mounted to rotate with said hub, their radially spaced inner ends terminating short of the surface of said hub and defining an open space therearound, said inner ends being wider axially than the respective outer ends of the vanes, and a trough for said water wheel of substantially the same depth as the diameter of the wheel and including an arcuate bottom of substantially the same radius as the radius of the wheel, said trough also including a pair of opposite side walls having corresponding concentric circular portions the adjacent surfaces of which are concave so that they snugly encompass the entire sides of the wheel, and a pair of end walls which diverge upwardly from said arcuate bottom, the concave circular portions of said side walls being adapted to serve as guides or deflectors for concentrating the centrifugal discharge of water particles from the trough as the wheel rotates therein.

8. A humidifier unit including: a rotatably mounted wheel comprising a hub, a plurality of radially spaced and disposed axially extending vanes mounted to rotate with said hub, their radially spaced inner ends terminating short of the surface of said hub and defining an open space therearound, said inner ends being wider axially than the respective outer ends of the vanes, and a plurality of baffles mounted in a similar manner about said hub, one between each adjacent pair of said vanes, and adapted to defleet and aid in breaking 'up or atomizing liquid picked up by-said wheel during its rotation; and. a trough for said water wheel of substantially the same depth as the diameter of thewheel and.

including an arcuate bottom of substantially the same radius as the radius of the wheel, said tnough aiso including a pair of opposite side wallshaving corresponding concentric circular portionsthe adiacent-surifaces of which are con- 10 cave so that they snugly encompass the entire particles from the trough as the Wheel rotates therein.

HARRY GOODMAN. VACHEL S. DILLINGHAM. 

